51:19. And in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy,) him who asked, and him who (for some reason) was (5001) Prevented (from asking). 5001 True charity remembers not only those in need who ask, but also those who are prevented by some reason from asking. The man of true charity seeks out the latter. There may be various reasons which prevent a man from asking for help: (1) he may be ashamed to ask, or his sense of honor may prevent him from asking; (2) he may be so engrossed in some great ideal that he may not think of asking; (3) he may even not know that he is in need, especially when we think of wealth and possessions in a spiritual sense, as including spiritual gifts and talents; (4) he may not know that you possess the things that can supply his needs; and (5) he may be a dumb and helpless creature, whether a human being or a dumb animal, or any creature within your ken or power. Charity in the higher sense includes all help, from one better endowed to one less well endowed. Cf. n. 179 to 2:177, “It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness (177)- to believe in Allah (178) and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance(179), out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer (180), and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient (181), in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah fearing. 177 As if to emphasize again a warning against deadening formalism, we are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-fearing man. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love of Allah and the love of his fellow-men. We are given four heads: (1) our faith should be true and sincere; (2) we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men; (3) we must be good citizens, supporting social organization; and (4) our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances. They are interconnected, and yet can be viewed separately. 178 Faith is not merely a matter of words. We must realize the presence and goodness of Allah. When we do so, the scales fall from our eyes: all the falsities and fleeting nature of the Present cease to enslave us, for we see the Last Day as if it were today. We also see Allahs working in His world and in us: His Angels. His Messengers and His Message are no longer remote from us, but come within our experience. 179 Practical deeds of charity are of value when they proceed from love and from no other motive. In this respect, also, our duties take various forms, which are shown in reasonable gradation: our kith and kin: orphans (including any persons who are without support or help); people who are in real need but who never ask {it is our duty to find them out, and they come before those who ask); the stranger, who is entitled to laws of hospitality; the people who ask and are entitled to ask, i.e., not merely lazy beggars, but those who seek our assistance in some form or another (it is our duty to respond to them); and the slaves (we must do all we can to give or buy their freedom). Slavery has many insidious forms, and all are included. 180 Charity and piety in individual cases do not complete our duties. In prayer and charity we must also look to our organized effort. Where there is a Muslim State , these are made through the State in facilities for public prayer, and public assistance, and for the maintenance of contracts and fair dealing in all matters. 181 Then come the Muslim virtues of firmness and patience. They are to preserve the dignity of man, with soul erect (Burns). Three sets of circumstances are specially mentioned for the exercise of this virtue: (1) bodily pain or suffering, (2) adversities or injuries of all kinds, deserved and undeserved, and (3) periods of public panic, such as war, violence, pestilence, etc. also 2:273-274, “2:273 (Charity is) for those in need, who, in Allah.s cause (32)are restricted (from travel), and cannot move about in the land, seeking (For trade or work): the ignorant man thinks, because of their modesty, that they are free from want. Thou shalt know them by their (Unfailing) mark: They beg not importunately from all the sundry. And whatever of good ye give, be assured Allah knoweth it well. 322 Indiscriminate acts of so-called charity are condemned as they may do more harm than good (see 2:262). The real beneficiaries of charity are indicated. They must be in want. And the want must be due to some honorable cause. For example, they may be doing some unpaid service, such as teaching, or acquiring knowledge or skill, or be in exile for their faith, or in other ways be prevented from seeking employment or doing strenuous work. Allahs cause must not be narrowly interpreted. All sincere and real service to humanity comes within the definition. Such men do not beg from door to door. It is the duty of those who are well-to-do, or the Public Purse, to find them out. (Cf. 51:19). 2:274. Those who (in charity) (323) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. 323 We recapitulate the beauty of charity (i.e., unselfish giving of ones self or ones goods) before we come to its opposite, i.e., the selfish grasping greed of usury against those in need or distress. Charity instead of impoverishing you will enrich you: you: will have more happiness and less fear. Contrast it with what follows-the degradation of the grasping usury. .
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 08:03:07 +0000
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